Horizontal vs. Vertical: How Should You Place Your Retaining Wall?

Many homeowners find that they require retaining walls to maintain control of the water in their garden. Adding one is important, but it can be a struggle to make the wall look attractive. With that in mind, it’s common for homeowners to use timber sleepers instead of bricks or stone for their retaining walls – timber simply fits in better with most gardens, providing a more natural appearance.

But one question remains: do you place those sleepers vertically, sticking up from the soil, or do you lay them down horizontally? If you’re not quite sure, take the time to read through the benefits of each option.

It’s also a lot easier to replace any sleepers that become damaged because they are not stacked on top of each other. Because vertically placed sleepers will generally need to go a little deeper, retaining walls built in this fashion should be stronger, so that’s something well worth considering if your retaining wall is going to handle plenty of stress.

Why Should You Place Your Sleepers Horizontally?

Placing sleepers horizontally creates a more natural appearance. Since one of the advantages of using timber in the first place is to foster a more natural outdoor look, this is a benefit well worth bearing in mind.

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For 3 years Catherine has been sharing tips, tutorials and guides on things to make with her fair hands right here on yourstrulyhandmade.com. Please look through the archives or learn more by reading her story here.